The Donuts of Doom

In a world where pastry is a controlled substance and a layer cake is considered a weapon of mass destruction, one lone figure stands ready, rolling pin in hand, to strike a blow for frosting and freedom.

And did I mention recipes? Recipes for all the cookies, biscuits, hotcakes, pies and donuts mentioned in the book are provided in an appendix. More

In a world where pastry is a controlled substance and a layer cake is considered a weapon of mass destruction, one lone figure stands ready, rolling pin in hand, to strike a blow for frosting and freedom.

Prin is an orphaned dwarf raised by humans. He flees a HealthWatch raid on his parent’s bakery that leaves his stepfather dead and his stepmother sentenced to the treadmill. Accompanied by a disreputable “wizard” with dubious powers, a gnome with an anger management problem and the village idiot and his loyal and incontinent dog, Prin begins a whimsical journey through a steampunk world of airship pirates, steam cannon, traction trains, clockwork horses, amorous windup robots, vast herds of porcuswine, cannibalistic munchkins, dwarf armies, stoned elves, people who hate clowns, and a fat man on a bicycle.

Through battles, plots and counter-plots, a hint of sorcery, and numerous pastries, can a young baker with a shadowy past discover the recipe to overturn mad Doctor Travaculus and give people back their just desserts? Find out in The Donuts of Doom!

The Donuts of Doom is in the same category as much of the writing of Terry Pratchett and James P. Blaylock. It deals with serious issues in a humorous and whimsical manner. And did I mention recipes? Recipes for all the cookies, biscuits, hotcakes, pies and donuts mentioned in the book are provided in an appendix.

M.E. Brines spent the Cold War assembling atomic artillery shells and preparing to unleash the Apocalypse (and has a medal to prove it.) But when peace broke out, he turned his fevered, paranoid imagination to other pursuits. He spends his spare time scribbling another steampunk romance occult adventure novel, which despite certain rumors absolutely DOES NOT involve time-traveling Nazi vampires!

A former member of the British Society for Psychical Research, he is the author of three dozen books, e-books, chapbooks and pamphlets on esoteric subjects such as alien abduction, alien hybrids, astrology, the Bible, biblical prophecy, Christian discipleship, conspiracies, esoteric Nazism, the Falun Gong, Knights Templar, magick, and UFOs, his work has also appeared in Challenge magazine, Weird Tales, The Outer Darkness, Tales of the Talisman, and Empirical magazine.

Reviews

Review by:
Cindy J. Smith
on Dec. 21, 2012 :
What a wonderful spin on the idiocy of the health nazis! Prin is a baker's son who must flee when his family is arrested by the Health Watch Inquisitors. He leads us on a wayward path that finds a magician, a tin man/scarecrow, evil munchkins, dwarves and elves, and of course a Princess that needs rescuing. The pages could not turn fast enough to outrun this great story. A well written piece and an eyeopener to any who are brave enough to think after reading it! Kudos!

(reviewed 4 days after purchase)

Review by:
R.R. Draude
on Oct. 22, 2011 :
(no rating)
Donuts Of Doom
In a rare bit of faith, Author Mike Brines entrusted me a copy of his
unpublished manuscript Donuts of Doom.
Donuts of Doom is story of Prin, the humble creator of delicious donuts and
pastries. Prin is forced to take flight when his baked goods are declared weapons of
mass destruction by Doctor Travaculus, head of the kingdom’s HealthWatch.
Prin, a beardless dwarf of uncertain background, raised by human parents,
flees from the HealthWatch inquisitors in the middle of the night. Along with his
friend Orson, a beggar and Lumpy, Orson’s dog, he escapes from The City of Five
Obelisks just ahead of the HealthWatch inquisitors. Prin and Orson wander the
countryside staying barely half-a-step ahead of disaster. During his roaming, Prin
becomes the unlikely leader of a rag-tag group of beggars, gnomes, humans, one
magician and a clockie. A wind up clockwork man named Steve, all bent on
restoring the liberties of the people.
From cannibalistic munchkins / gardeners to herb smoking, surf board riding
elves, Mike’s characters are unique, turn the world of fantasy on its ear and spin it
into Mike’s own version of the ‘Twilight Zone’. Just when you think you know were
the story is going, Mike drops you on your head. He leaves no twist unturned and no
pun, intended or unintended, unspoken.
Author Mike Brines has created a truly unique story in, Donuts of Doom.
His tongue-in-cheek style rolls fantasy fiction, steam punk and political
commentary into a yarn of unparalleled humor. The story takes a swipe at the
bizarre, nanny-state mentality that pervades our currant political climate and
leaves one to ask the question, “Who is in charge of me?” Hopefully your answer is,
“I am in charge of me.”
This yarn is sprinkled with recipes that Mike had added in his appendix,
including substitutes for ingredients such as porcuswine lard, a bit hard to find in
any local market, super or otherwise.
Donuts of Doom is a book worth the time.

Respectfully submitted,
Richard R Draude
Co-author of The Tyranny Series
Author of The Adam Eradication